D'Agostino Stereo Momentum through the Dartzeel NHB-18NS ....

joeinid

joeinid

Super Moderator
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
Messages
18,722
Location
NY
After using the Dartzeel combo for the past week, I finally hooked up the Dart preamp to my D'Agostino Stereo Momentum. Even cold, the Momentum is a wonderful amp. So full yet has plenty of air around everything. It's pretty amazing on my TADs. I still don't know what combo will eventually win out, but I have a lot to keep me busy. Proper cables on both setups need to be addressed and will affect the final outcome.
 
D'Agostino Amp and DartZeel Preamp? Hmm...Joe the pioneer. I doubt this has been tried before. Very interested to get your comments.
 
Mike said:
D'Agostino Amp and DartZeel Preamp? Hmm...Joe the pioneer. I doubt this has been tried before. Very interested to get your comments.
Click to expand...

If I am not mistaken, Freemer used this very combo in his recent D'Agostino mono review. Yeah baby!
 
Iceman said:
D'Agostino mono and Dart NHB-458 is the two of his most satisfying power amp.
Click to expand...

Straight from Michael Freemer's fingers. Very true. If I could only hear the 458's, maybe I better not. :(
 
There's definitely a difference in the presentation of the music from the Dagostino to the Dartzeel.

The Dartzeel is more at the speaker and to the rear while the Dagostino is at and to the front of the speaker. It's like I can reach out and touch everything. Amazing.
 
joeinid said:
There's definitely a difference in the presentation of the music from the Dagostino to the Dartzeel.

The Dartzeel is more at the speaker and to the rear while the Dagostino is at and to the front of the speaker. It's like I can reach out and touch everything. Amazing.
Click to expand...

Just wait until your pre-amp arrives. The synergy between the two is truly amazing.
 
Jim- that's great to hear. Joe is loving his D'Agostino. When he went from the Dart to the D'Agostino last night he was very pleased with the switch.

I love the look of that Preamp too.

Mike
 
joeinid said:
There's definitely a difference in the presentation of the music from the Dagostino to the Dartzeel.

The Dartzeel is more at the speaker and to the rear while the Dagostino is at and to the front of the speaker. It's like I can reach out and touch everything. Amazing.
Click to expand...

I have been a Rowland fan since starting out in this hobby in the mid 90s, even after owning a Krell FP amp. But this one quote above has really got me intrigued. I love palpable images in huge, coherent soundstages. Gotta go find a dealer with a Dag Stereo amp for audition now!:D
 
Mike said:
Jim- that's great to hear. Joe is loving his D'Agostino. When he went from the Dart to the D'Agostino last night he was very pleased with the switch.

I love the look of that Preamp too.

Mike
Click to expand...

Mike
As many of you know I have never been a big proponent of pre-amps. This one is leaving me wanting more music time.

Jim
 
still-one said:
Just wait until your pre-amp arrives. The synergy between the two is truly amazing.
Click to expand...

Jim,

I have a feeling the Dagostino combo will superb. It has a different sound than anything I'm used to hearing. I hope you get to have one permanently in your system.

socfan12 said:
I have been a Rowland fan since starting out in this hobby in the mid 90s, even after owning a Krell FP amp. But this one quote above has really got me intrigued. I love palpable images in huge, coherent soundstages. Gotta go find a dealer with a Dag Stereo amp for audition now!:D
Click to expand...

Just get it warmed up and enjoy. I really am blown away. Based on what I hear right now, the Dagostino is really letting me enjoy my TADs a little more. I don't know if long term my feelings will change. The Dagostino is a little more in my face but in a great way. The Dartzeel is more laid back with tons of detail. I am fortunate to be able to switch back and forth. I know better cables and setup will help both combos.
 
socfan12 said:
I have been a Rowland fan since starting out in this hobby in the mid 90s, edit
Click to expand...

I am VERY familiar with that generation of Rowland. I even had a Consummate preamp. My favorite dealer at the time carried Rowland and he would play music for me. I would sit transfixed for hours, just loving the new music I was hearing. It was a wonderful time. He carried VAC, Counterpoint, Apogee and many others. I was a kid in a candy store. I miss those days.
 
joeinid said:
...

Just get it warmed up and enjoy. I really am blown away. Based on what I hear right now, the Dagostino is really letting me enjoy my TADs a little more. I don't know if long term my feelings will change. The Dagostino is a little more in my face but in a great way. The Dartzeel is more laid back with tons of detail. I am fortunate to be able to switch back and forth. I know better cables and setup will help both combos.
Click to expand...
I hear you. The forward presentation, while exciting at first, can be overwhelming over the long term. But I get ahead of myself anyway. I need to complete speaker selection before looking at other components. Your description just caught my eye.:p



joeinid said:
I am VERY familiar with that generation of Rowland. I even had a Consummate preamp. My favorite dealer at the time carried Rowland and he would play music for me. I would sit transfixed for hours, just loving the new music I was hearing. It was a wonderful time. He carried VAC, Counterpoint, Apogee and many others. I was a kid in a candy store. I miss those days.
Click to expand...
+1.

There's not a lot of Rowland dealers nowadays, so it's really difficult to audition anything. And in general, not a lot of dealers around me are carrying the real high end stuff anymore. I wish more retailers had a model similar to Reno Hifi with auditions at home (the best place to audition anything), just pay for shipping both ways.
 
............

socfan12 said:
I hear you. The forward presentation, while exciting at first, can be overwhelming over the long term. But I get ahead of myself anyway. I need to complete speaker selection before looking at other components. Your description just caught my eye.:p


It's exciting, frustrating, rewarding, and sometimes magical finding the right combo. I don't really know if it's best to pick speakers first then an amp to match or find an amp with a sound character you like, then add complimentary speakers. Depending on the speakers, like my TADs, it can be a difficult task.

+1.

There's not a lot of Rowland dealers nowadays, so it's really difficult to audition anything. And in general, not a lot of dealers around me are carrying the real high end stuff anymore. I wish more retailers had a model similar to Reno Hifi with auditions at home (the best place to audition anything), just pay for shipping both ways.

Not all local dealers carry everything you want to consider buying. I am glad Reno's model works very well.
Click to expand...
 
socfan12 said:
Wow, the TADs are that finicky? Try TAD's own M4300?
Click to expand...

I seem to be sensitive to too much treble energy. So far I'm happy between the Dart and Dag amps. It would be interesting to try a sweet, powerful tube amp but my system is on too much for that.
 
still-one said:
Mike
As many of you know I have never been a big proponent of pre-amps. This one is leaving me wanting more music time.

Jim
Click to expand...

Jim - Go Michigan tonight!

Mike

P.S. I think it was you who "warned" me about Diana Krall in concert, right?
 
Joe ... Slightly off topic , would like your opinion as to what sort of power cords suit the darTZeel NHB-108 . Does it fare better with a fast open sounding cord or then a more fuller sounding cord with a darker tone . Are you using the Nordost with the Darts by any chance ?
 
Jazzhead said:
Joe ... Slightly off topic , would like your opinion as to what sort of power cords suit the darTZeel NHB-108 . Does it fare better with a fast open sounding cord or then a more fuller sounding cord with a darker tone . Are you using the Nordost with the Darts by any chance ?
Click to expand...

Right now I'm using Shunyata Venom 3. I know it's not a high dollar cord but it works really well. I had WireWorld Silver Electras on everything before. I prefer the smoothness and fullness of the Venom 3 to the WW (which was too much of a good thing). I do believe going up the chain will help but I still need to figure out what RCA cables I want and eventually what power cords to buy. The only problem is that some of these accessories become necessities and cost an arm and a leg. I went back to my Transparent Audio Super speaker cables with Cardas clear jumpers. I've been making too many changes to pinpoint where what I am hearing comes from. I am ambivalent right now about the Nordost TYR2 speaker cables. Sometimes I like them and sometimes not. This is all so subjective, it can be difficult.

My Dagostino preamp is still about 6 weeks out from coming in, but that's a good thing. It will give me time to experiment.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top